Baby Sitting
by x emmalisa x
Summary: Nick and Otto are on Babysitting duty. How will they cope with four little Dark Hunter babies? Baby Z, Freya, Lily Magnus and Ceara Runningwulf. x
1. Drop off

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_Hi. The little girls are from my Family Story. I dont own any other Dark Hunters or Squires - unfortunately ; - ) The Nick in the story is the one before he becomes a Dark Hunter. I hope you like it. Had a case of writers block recently, so I hope you like it : - )_

_x EmmaLisa x_

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**Baby Sitting**

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"Do you have _any_ idea how to look after kids?" Nick half whispered to himself and half to Otto.

His companion in this foolishness was currently flicking his thumb back and forth across a blade. Looking about as approachable as … well Archeon. The man hadn't moved from that chair, and Nick was sure he had seen corpses with more 'get up and go' than Otto.

"Do I look like I do?! They're only little, how hard can it be?"

Yeah right! Nick had recently had the unbearable task of babysitting Marisa. He shuddered as he remembered the fiasco of changing diapers. Chubby legs flying everywhere, wipes and God knows what Kyrian expected him to do with that cream?! Cringing he eyed the leather clad Otto and wondered if Otto could change diapers?

"From the look on your face boy, I know what your thinking. The answer is NO. That's your territory, I'll be doing the discipline." Nick laughed at Otto's response, but when he saw him sheath the blade in a notch on his belt, he sobered as he realised Otto was more than likely being deadly serious. Ouch.

**Talon and Ceara:**

****

Nick watched the door crept open and prayed it was Ash coming to check – or laugh – at their Predicament. No such luck. Talon's black leather biker jacket appeared instead.

Nick looked at the sight of father and daughter with his usual raised eyebrow. _Oh yeah, you could never deny they where of the same blood._ Ceara- was it?- was walking in beside her dad, her little chubby hand clutched an almost identical Starbucks foam cup that her father carried, except hers was half the size. He watched them both gulp down from their cups before licking their top lip.

"Boy, meet my baby. I don't think I have to warn you what will happen if so much as a –"

"Yeah Talon, I have been warned by The All Powerful Archeon. Blood, Torment and death, blar blah blar. I know."

Nick watched as Talon gave Otto a once over and quirked a brow at the blade at his hip.

"Relax Celt, Ill make sure she doesn't _accidentally_ fall on it. Besides, you wanna leave her with nothing but bait in a bomber jacket, or someone who knows how to handle themselves?"

"Excuse me! Bait in a bomber jacket? I can handle myself just fine."

Otto held up his hand with the spider web tattoo marking him as a Blood-Rites Squire "Your not even in my league, kid"

As Nick was frowning at Otto, Talon bent to kiss Ceara on her dark, braided hair and whispered something in her ear that made her giggle, before leaving.

"Hi Ceara" Nick had no idea what to say to a four year old, but figured that was a good place to start.

"Hi" He watched her take another gulp from her little foam cup, before frowning and shaking the cup upside down, and groaning. "I didn't even get to do dippy" Nick watched the little girl pout as she brought out three buscuits from her purple 'Dora the Explorer' raincoat.

"Do you like coffee?" He was at first surprised that a little girl would have a Starbucks in the first place, but she was Talons daughter, so that answered that riddle.

The expression on her face, as she cast Nick a devilish smile and nodded her head enthusiastically told him the answer to that question.

"Otto, make Ceara a coffee"

He watched Otto's head slowly rise, looking up at him from beneath his lashes, and by the black expression on his face, Nick was pretty sure he was two seconds away from being mince meat.

"Boy, I'm not your slave and I sure as hell aint your Waitress, or the Baby Celts"

"Okay. Then I will make the coffee and you can look after all the kids. All of them. By your self. Without me. Hundreds of – "

He watched as Otto groan as he stood, glancing at the baby Celt, before indicating with his head for her to follow him.

Nick wondered if she wouldn't want to, Otto wasn't particularly Mr Cute and Fuzzy to a four year old little girl. But after shrugging out of her purple jacket and leaving it in a pool on the floor, she ran to catch up with Otto.

Obviously the call of coffee was worth the peril of Otto.

**Valerius and Lily**

Nick knew who the next one was, as he saw only a single finger pushing open the door, as if it was distasteful for him to do so. Valerius stood on the threshold, glaring at the floor. What did he think it was going to do? Eat him?

Lily Magnus was a whole different story, he actually liked the little red head, who was often found in her mothers shop trying on 7 inch leather knee highs. He called her Lil' Mags which she liked, although she had often whispered to him not to say it around her daddy as he wouldn't like it.

That was for damn sure! Nick highly doubted Valerius liked anything.

The little girl thankfully was more like her mother than her father. Which meant she actually had a personality.

Watching Valerius walk over the floor, whilst eyeing it, and holding Lily as far from it as possible was almost amusing, if it was anyone but Count Penicula. It was then Nick noticed the little pink bag Valerius had over his other shoulder.

"Nice bag. Pink suits you Roman" Nick laughed at the exasperation clear across Valerius' face.

"Blood red would suit you, pleb" Snorting at the arrogant threat, he watched as Valerius handed Lily the little bag as he inched her to the floor. But not before he assessed what spot was cleanest for her to stand. Which incidentally was on top of Ceara's purple raincoat. Rolling his eyes at the arrogance, Nick for once held his tongue.

"Do you have your mobile phone, baby?"

Nick watched in amazement as the four year old pulled out a phone not even he could afford on his salary. Damn me, was that diamond encrusted??

"Remember, speed dial me on '1' ,mummys on '2' and Ash is on '3'."

"Ok daddy" Lily reached up as Valerius bent down and kissed his cheek. She then wandered off of the jacket looking for toys.

Nick watched as Valerius winced at every step Lily took on the floor. Dear God! The floor wasn't that bad! The man didn't understand the meaning of dirty, he needed to come see his room for the more appropriate description.

"Lily! Wipe down any toys before you play, ok. The wipes are in your purse"

Nick laughed at Valerius outright. Even Otto poked his head out from the kitchen to mouth at Nick "wipes?"

**Wulf**

Too busy playing the Bunny Rabbit game on Lily's phone, whilst she gave him advice, he didn't realise that Otto had returned without Ceara. Why didn't his phone have the Bunny Rabbit game? It was surprising good. Wait, where was the Baby Celt?

"Otto, where's Ceara?"

"I let her out the back door to go get herself run over by a truck. Where do you think she is? She is drinking coffee. By the damn bucket load" Otto shook his head at the last statement.

The sound of yelling and shouts interrupted their chat, as Wulf carried in his daughter. Literally carried. Freya was slung over one shoulder, her little legs kicking.

"Freya, you know your not allowed to do that!" Dropping the little girl to her feet, Nick got his first look at the little Viking.

Her face was flushed with annoyance, and probably the blood that had rushed to her head from being dangled over her dads shoulder. She had her hands in fists at her hips and glared at her dad.

"Good luck!" was all Wulf growled as he strode back out the door.

What! That was it?

Nick watched as Freya burst out crying and sank to the floor.

He gaped.

What the hell was he gonna do now!

He didn't know how to comfort a little girl. He doubted very much a bouquet of flowers would do the trick.

Surely Wulf wasn't going to leave her there!

He wasn't the least bit surprised when Wulf kicked the door back open and picked up his baby girl.

Kissing the top of her strawberry blonde curls, Nick watched as Wulf sang- yes- Wulf sang to Freya.

Nicks eyes must have been as wide as his mouth. Was Wulf – look at me twice, boy, I'll kick you till your dead – Tryvaggason singing a lullaby?!

"Have you ever thought of doing reality TV, there is more than enough drama going on between you two to last an entire series."

"Shut up boy" Wulf growled over the curls " If anything happens to my baby, just one tear – "

"Yeah I know! Blood, Death and Torment. Been told already. Twice!"

"Wanna come play the Bunny Rabbit game, Fray?" Lily asked as she perched beside Nick.

"The Bunny Rabbit game?" Freya said through her tears.

"Yes, Nicks playing too" Freya wiggled from her dads embrace, whilst Wulf gave Nick a taunting smile.

"What! Its surprisingly good… At least I don't sing lullaby's"

"You better look after my baby girl, boy"

"Yeah, yeah" Nick waved Wulf out the door, before glaring at Lily. Maybe she was more like her father than he had first thought, dumping him in it.

He turned his head as he watched Ceara enter the room, she carried a large mug in both hands, her little knees bent as she bent over the mug and tried to walk and drink it at the same time. He could hear her slurping the coffee and hoped Otto had allowed it to cool before giving it to her. But she seemed happy enough. Maybe they would be lucky and they would only have to look after three.

Three they could manage. Surely?

**Zarek and Zara Rose.**

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Ceara sat down on Otto's foot.

Nick held his breath as he watched him lean over to eye the little girl, who was wiggling to get comfy on his boot. She held the coffee mug between her knees and was blowing into it. Nick was more than a little surprised when Otto leaned back into the chair without comment. Did the bad ass have a soft spot for the little Celt and her coffee addiction?

He looked up and gasped, at some point Psycho Ass aka Zarek had materialised in the room. Nick could still remember the last time he had had the pleasure of being in contact with Zarek. The man had serious issues.

"Uncle Z" Lily yelled and smiled up at him.

"Beautiful"

What was this the Twilight Zone! Did Lily just refer to Zarek as uncle and then smile at him.

And did Psycho Ass speak not growl back!

What was happening?

"Do you need to lie down Zarek?"

"Ha ha. I thought we already spoke about you being silent around me, so at the end of the day you remain breathing and not bleeding"

Nick wasn't in the least bit surprised when Otto burst out laughing.

"There you go Zarek, Astrid always wants you to make new friends. Psycho Ass meet grumpy." Nick waved from one to the other as he introduced them "Wait a minute, Zarek, didn't you forget something? Where's your baby?"

Surely he hadn't forgotten her?

Then again, Nick was pretty sure Zarek had 'misplaced his sanity' a couple of centuries ago.

Zarek snarled at Nick as if he could hear his thoughts and indicating with his head down towards his leg. Nick would have preferred not to have to look at Zarek anymore than necessary as he very much wanted to live.

But took the bait and looked down at Zarek's trouser leg, and sure enough, two little hands where clutching his leather trousers.

Looking up from her mug, Ceara smiled at Zarek, and Nick once more wondered what was wrong with these kids?

"Hello Zarek, hello Ra-Ra"

Ra-Ra? Oh, Zara in toddler speak. Nick got his first glimpse of Baby Z as she peaked around the leather column of her dads right thigh to smile at the Baby Celt.

Shy? Huh. Nick would never have pegged a baby of Zarek's as being shy. Nick looked closer at the little girls hands clutching her dads trouser leg, and saw the scar. He had heard through the Dark Hunter grapevine about the injury done to the little girl, and more importantly the rumours about what had happened. He had heard from some that Zarek had done it, whilst others say he didn't.

Either way, Nick knew what had happened to the nymph who was suspected of inflicted the injury, and had no plans to wind up the same way.

He winced even as he thought about it.

Lesson for The Day Kids; Don't hurt the granddaughter of a Goddess.

Baby Z, was tiny! He watched as she came to sit beside Ceara on Otto's other boot.

She was like a doll. Her little arms where so small, and she looked too little to walk. The little girl was all large dark eyes.

Nick kept an eye on Zarek, and was surprised to see an emotion close to hurt cross his face. Nick frowned before he realised what might be wrong. Was Zarek upset Zara was sitting with Otto? He had heard multiple times, Zara Rose was a daddy's girl, and after seeing her clinging to Zarek's trouser leg didn't doubt it for a second. He knew now that Zarek liked her being a daddy's girl.

"Ceara? Are you drinking coffee?" Nick looked at Zarek as he asked the question. It sounded almost as if Zarek was accusing him of poisoning her.

"Yep" Ceara replied as she licked her top lip.

Zareks attention returned to Nick "Your letting a four year old drink coffee?"

"She came with coffee, we just topped her up"

"Topped her up? Talon may be a --- many things, but he's no fool. You don't give a kid coffee. She is going to be on a caffeine high. If she isn't sick"

Nick looked at Otto who was looking at Ceara sitting on his boot. "God, I hope not. She's sitting on my favourite pair of boots"

Zarek strode across the floor and took away the mug, before wiping his thumb across her top lip to remove the coffee remaining there. "Its going to make you sick, sweetie. No more coffee"

Ceara looked on the verge of tears but managed to answer "Ok"

Zarek stroked her cheek, before kissing Zara's head and turning to snarl at Nick. "No more coffee for Ceara. And hurt my baby, and I swear to the Gods – "

"We know! Blood, Torment and Death! Your _only_ the forth person to remind us. I may be foolish – occasionally- but I'm never suicidal"

Zarek arched his brow as if he doubted that, before flashing out of the room.

"Daddy!" Baby Z flew instantly to her feet, with her little arms out stretched. "Daddy!"

"I feel a little icky" Ceara whispered beside her as she held her belly.

"And Freya's gone" Lily said from beside him.

**"What?!"**

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Please let me know if you like it. Thanks so much for reading. The next chapter will be on Lunchtime. So let me know if you want me to write more. : - ) Thanks for all the support._

_x emmalisa x_

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	2. Finding Freya

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_Hi, I wanted to say Thank you to Southern Spell, Night of the Land and SlytherinbabeO5 for the reviews. __ : - ) x_

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**Chapter Two**

Otto leaned down to pluck Ceara up from his boot whilst holding her at arms length. From the look on his face you expected the little girl to sprout another head. "You gonna be sick, kid?"

"Oh no…" Ceara groaned and lifted her pink top up high, to look down at her belly. Nick wondered what she expected to see there?

"Im a poorly girl" she whimpered.

Otto walked out the room, eyeing her suspiciously.

Baby Z had a tear trailing down her cheek. That was something Nick had to stop fast before he got on the bad side of the Fates, but first to deal with Lil' Mags.

"Give me the phone, Lily." He inched towards the little red head who was standing upon the table, finger poised over number 1. "Please. Freya will be fine. I'm sure she isn't far"

What he meant was he hoped she was fine. And he had no idea where the little Viking had wandered, but he knew for damn sure, Valerius turning up would only make it worse.

Nick had a visual of Valerius participating in the search for the little Viking, wiping everything down twice, before lifting it up with a finger to glance underneath. No. And worse what would Wulf do to him! He was too young to die. And not to mention far too cute.

"Lily!"

"Daddy said to call if you screwed up" Hey! He hadn't screwed it up yet, the little Viking was still breathing ….possibly. He winced at the thought. She couldn't be far he convinced himself. "Want me to call Ash instead?" She asked.

Oh yeah, skip blood and torment, dish me death straight away.

"No Honey, we can look for her, if we haven't found her in… say an hour, then I will call Ash myself. Ok?"

Nick picked his brain for things he had learned on the History Channel. Now if I was a baby Viking where would I be?

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Otto placed Ceara in the sink. The little girl was beginning to look an odd shade of yellow.

He watched as she continued to watch her pudgy belly, and had a look himself. "You alright?" His face screwed up as he watched her groan again. Please don't be sick, kid. Please. This is my only clean shirt.

"Its sore" He watched as she poked at her exposed belly.

"Yeah?"

"uh huh"

"You should give her some calpol. Its good. Or maybe that stuff from the doctors that tastes of banana." Otto listened to the little voice from behind him. Maybe the kid had a point. Did they have Calpol? What was Calpol?? He highly doubted the stuff could work on a coffee addicted four year old.

Turning to where the voice had come from, he saw a little skirt poking out of the refrigerator. "Hey kid? Do you know where the calpol is?"

"Nar"

Damn. Plan B.

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"Right…this is the plan. Lily you search the toy room, whilst I comfort Baby Z. Then we will try the other rooms, and then the garden. Deal?"

"Deal" He watched as the head of red curls jumped down to the chair and then to the floor with a grin on her face "Its just like hide and seek"

Yeah, only different is, if we don't find, I die. _Only a Minor game alteration._

He watched as Lily walked off with her arm in the air. "Lil's, what's with the arm??"

"Its so my bag doesn't fall off" The look she gave him made him feel like a fool.

"Right" he drawled "Why didn't I think of that"

Turning his full attention to Baby Z, he wondered again how she could be Psycho Ass' baby. She was kinda cute.

He wondered absently how many men would live after saying that to Zarek's face in the future. Oh, poor kid, her dating life is over before it even begins. Unless she had a thing for necrophilia, as any man who looked at any of these girls had signed his own death certificate.

Cause of Death: He winked at my Baby!

Kneeling beside Zara he watched as another tear fell down her cheek. She wasn't moving anywhere, just sat in a heap, her white dress fanned around her, picking at a flower in the embroidery.

"Hi, Zara. You ok?" He knew it was a foolish thing to say to a crying three year old little girl but couldn't think of a better opening line.

He watched as she shook her head, her little black curls bouncing around her face. One stuck to her tear soaked cheek. Peeling the little curl away, Nick tried another approach.

"Wanna come play?" He watched as she shook her head again. What now? He had very few options left to him.

"You miss your daddy, huh?" He watched as she sobbed out a "Yes". Oh no, she was crying harder now.

This must be a 'Worlds First'. Someone who cries when Zarek_ leaves_. Personally he had rejoiced, and only wanted to cry when he had turned up. But the little doll before him seemed to generally miss him.

"He'll be back soon, promise." He watched as she turned her large dark eyes to his face. Tears where still evident in their black depths but he saw a little spark of childlike hope there, as well as her little teeth biting her bottom lip in question. "Oh yeah. He wouldn't leave you here would he? He wouldn't want you to be upset either?" He watched as she nodded and sniffed at her tears.

Thank the Gods! He might just survive the day. Yee fricking haw, The way the day was going so far, he thought he may decide to take back the plea he had to remain alive. Dont hold me on that one. It may change.

He wiped at her tears with his thumb. Phew. One down, only three more to go. Wait was it three more? How many kids where they looking after?

Nick was brought back from his thoughts by the ringing of the telephone. Where was the phone? Leaving Baby Z, he glanced around the room. Not on the table. He twirled to survey the room. When he heard the ringing stop he let out a relieved breath until– "Hello?"

Nick raced into the toy room. Sure enough, Lily was perched cross legged on the couch, phone to her ear, twirling a red curl.

"Yes…. No….. yep….. Maybe, I'm not sure, I can ask?...No……Yes, he's here…… No, he's in the other room….. no…well it's a long story…. Very long… ok, here is Nick" He watched as she handed him to phone. He looked at the phone as if it was a severed hand. Inching it to his ear he hoped it was anyone but an irate father.

"Hello?" He knew his voice came out a cautious whisper.

"HELLO?!" wincing and moving the phone further from his ear, he glared at Lily who was staring innocently up at him, before shrugging and going off "Nick! You there! Where's my baby?! And remember boy, think before you answer this one!" That was by far the smartest advice he had ever been given, but Wulf really didn't have to warn him, he had known that one already.

"Yeah I'm here. She is helping making lunch" Small lie to stay alive wasn't a sin. Was it?

"When I asked Lily if Freya was ok she said no, long story. Wanna abbreviate?" No, was Nicks automatic mental response. What could he tell him… Sorry Wulf ,I misplaced your baby but don't worry, the road outside is relatively quiet so I doubt she's been hit by anything and if she has been, it may have been that ice cream van that went by earlier.. but really how fast do those things go anyway?? Yeah… or not.

"She fell over that's all"

"You better not be lying to me. Is she ok? Did she cry?" Nick could hear the malice radiate down the phone at the last statement. Thankfully this answer came easily.

"Nope, she didn't cry"

"Good! Can I talk to her"

"Why?"

"Do I need a reason to talk to my baby? I wanna make sure she's alright" So much for things where getting better. What to say? What to say?

"She's busy making lunch, can you call back later?"

"Ok, I will call back within the hour. And Nick?"

"Yeah"

"She better be ok"

Nick was relieved when he heard Wulf hang up. Now back to finding Freya.

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"How's that, kid?" Otto asked Ceara.

"Its heavy and its big" Otto watched as she manoeuvred the bucket. He was just thankfully the kid was small enough to fit in the little sink with a bucket. He was happy she had returned to an almost natural colour. He decided to turn his attention back to the little skirt poking out of the refrigerator. "Hey, which one are you?"

He watched as the little girl peered around the fridge door, a confused look on her face. "Which one am I?"

"The Greek, the Roman or the Viking or more appropriately the psycho, the snob or the marauder?"

"The Viking"

"Oh… you hungry?" He watched as she returned to rummaging in the fridge. Well that answers that question.

Wait, had he seen little fangs in her mouth? "Kid?" He waited till she had peered back around the fridge again "You got fangs?" He watched as she smiled and showed him her fangs. Tapping them with her little index finger. She had some. A small, almost dainty pair in her little mouth. A Dark Hunter baby with fangs; that's new.

"My mummys an Apollite. I got my fangs from her. Pretty, huh?" An apollite and a Dark Hunter? Obviously the Viking had never been taught not to play with his food.

Otto shook his head, in his book Apollites where in the same league as Diamons and any woman under a size 10; off his menu.

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"Otto! You found Freya yet?" Nick called from the garden. He was two seconds away from killing himself before Wulf did. That baby was Wulf's world. And what about Ceara? Had she been sick? He didn't need to be dealing with Talon as well. The last thing he needed was to become gator bait. "OTTO!"

"Don't shout at me, pretty boy! You lost the kid"

"Have. You. Seen. Freya?"

"Who?" Nick groaned at his response, this was ridiculous.

"Otto, are you watching Zara and Lily whilst I look, or is that asking too much?"

"Is that the Greek and the Celt?"

"No, the Greek and the Roman"

"Nar, neither's with me. I got the Celt in the sink and the Viking raiding the fridge"

Nick stopped momentarily as he registered what Otto had said. The Viking raiding the fridge… was he talking about Freya. He ran to the back door into the kitchen and sure enough there they where. Oh thank God! He would live another hour. He bent over, bracing himself on the sideboard in relief. Wait…

"Ceara, why are you in the sink?"

"Otto put me here, in case I was poorly or icky"

"You been sick?"

"Nope, my belly feels a little better now" He watched as she lifted her top high to show him.

Phew. No Talon issues either.

"You better make em lunch before the Viking eats the lot" Otto pointed out as he watched Freya pull back the lid of another yoghurt.

"Me?"

"Yeah you. You're the one I'm speaking too"

"I don't know what to feed them. You do it" Nick watched as Otto arched his brow at that and took a menacing step forward. Out of the corner of his eyes he watched a little shadow of white frills enter the kitchen, toy in hand.

"I made the coffee. I have already been bossed about by you once, Kid. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can do it again" Otto was getting closer and closer to him.

"Oh yeah, the coffee. And look where that got us!" What was it about narrowly escaping death that makes us suicidal? Once again, as Ash would say, he was running his mouth without activating his brain.

Otto growled low in his throat and went to grab Nicks throat.

"Stop!"

Nick or Otto wasn't sure what happened, but they where thrown away from each other at such a force that they slammed into the cupboard and back door, hard enough to knock the air completely out of their lungs. Momentarily too stunned to discover the cause of the power, Nick groaned about his back as he inched up from the floor. Oh, he must have cracked something. He braced himself on the counter as he looked at Zara Rose. Otto was stood eyeing the little girl with a strange look on his face, bordering … dare he say it... respect?

"Zara, how did you do that?" Nick knew Zarek was married to the daughter of a goddess and a powerful nymph in her own right, but he had no idea the little baby could have so much power so young. He felt like he had been rammed repeatedly by a small truck. So much for his date with Claire. The most excitement he was gonna get tonight was a hot bath and a tube of deep heat.

"No fighting. Its not nice" She whispered as she clutched the little doll in her arms tighter before going out to play again. And by little, he meant it was virtually the same size as she was. In fact if he had to gamble, he would guess it weighed more than Zara did.

Did psycho ass' baby just give me a lecture on violence??

Ok, now he had to feed them. Why did he have a sinking feeling the fun was only just beginning…

_

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Thanks so much for reading, I hope you liked it. : -) I know not alot happened in this chapter, but I felt like there where things left from Chapter one that needed to be finished before I went on to Lunchtime fun lol. All reviews welcome. Let me know if you want some more : - ) x emmalisa x_

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	3. Lunchtime

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_Hi. Wanted to say Thank you to Night of the Land, Slytherinbabe05 and Deidaras lover for the reviews. :-) Wrote this, this morning and part of last night as i knew i would be too busy to update later today or tomorrow. Busy weekend planned. Hope you like it. _

_x emmalisa x_

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**Chapter Three - Lunchtime**

Otto stared after the little girl in the flowing frills, who had managed to do something few people have ever done; surprise him.

She looked like she could be pushed over by a light breeze and yet she had the power to propel two – well one - man and an idiot four foot into the air. He had to hand it to the little one, she was someone you didn't wanna cross already.

She'd also managed to make him feel something he hadn't felt in a long time. Seeing the tears still glimmering in her eyes from missing her dad, and teaching them to be nice made him feel ashamed of his actions. Which believe me didn't happen often. He didn't care for the feeling at all, but he gave the little one her due respect.

Now he just had to beat some sense into Nick without the beating, which was a shame, as that was the part he had been looking forward to.

* * *

"Right, back to the lunch menu. Ceara what do you want for lunch?" 

"Umm… I like chicken?"

"Right chicken… do we have any chicken?" Nick mumbled to himself.

"Ask the Viking, more than likely if we did, she ate it" Otto quirked his thumb toward the fridge where Freya sat crossed legged eating a yoghurt with her fingers. How could someone so small eat so much?

"Freya is there any chicken in there?"

"Nope. There is this though..." Nick watched as Freya began to pull items out, bending down he flicked through them. Ham. Cheese. Chicken slices. "Do you like chicken slices, Ceara?"

He watched as she leaned over the bucket, before her face scrunched up in distaste. "That doesn't look like chicken to me" It didn't look like chicken to him either, and was more than likely not chicken, but it was worth a try.

"Ok, what about sandwiches? … we have jam isn't there? Yes; jam, ham, cheese and chicken slices. So what do you want in your sandwich?"

"Ham please, lots of butter" Ceara showed Nick how much butter by holding her hands a foot apart.

"Fray?"

"Um… cheese."

"Please?"

"Yeah"

"No Freya, say please"

"Why?"

"Because you want cheese"

"Yes"

"No, Freya say please after… What am I doing? Doesn't matter"

"Lily?! Zara Rose?!" Nick waited until the two had come into the kitchen before asking them what they wanted. Lily wanted just butter and Zara wanted Jam. At least those two had manners.

Rubbing his palm over his face, Nick was sure he had aged a decade in the last ten minutes. Otto had smirked at him when he had had round two of Nick Vs Freya's non existent manners over what she wanted to drink.

**Table arrangements**

"I wanna sit next to Ra-Ra" Ceara stated as she climbed onto the bench behind the wooden table in the garden. She wiggled her bottom on the bench till she was comfy and then slapped her hands down on the table.

Nick watched as Zara was on her third attempt at climbing up onto the bench, she had her knee on the bench and was trying to pull herself up, but wasn't able to do it. Nick dropped the knife to the counter and was going to help her when Freya did. "There you go Baby Z" Freya had said as she pushed Zara's bum until she had been able to lift her other leg up.

God, she was sooo tiny! Was her mother small?

Whilst he was asking about Zarek's wife... was she insane? Blind? Or had she just been _seriously_ bored? Nick couldn't think of anything about Zarek that a woman could find attractive. He was evil looking and had an aura of malice a mile thick around him. He growled not spoke… usually, and was hardly charming. He could hardly see Zarek as the type to go on a date, and generally never liked to put Zarek near any sort of cutlery or sharp objects.

"I wanna sit in the big chair" Lily yelled from the kitchen, running toward one of two single chairs around the table. Nick watched as just before she got to it, Freya climbed into it. So much for Freya being friendly.

"Freya move, that's my chair, Nick tell her that's not fair!"

"Can't you sit in that one?" Freya pointed to the chair the opposite end of the table

"No I wanted that one!" Nick watched as Lily began to cry and was surprised when Freya said she was sorry and slipped out of the chair to go to the other one. So she did have manners.

Nick sensed Lily didn't like not getting her own way. But as quickly as the tears had come they had dried and Lily was talking with Ceara about their ballet classes.

Zara - or Ra-Ra to Ceara-, sat a little too quietly with her hands in her lap. Nick wondered if she was always so quiet and guessed if she was, it must be another trait from her mother.

"Nick?!"

He peered around the kitchen door, "Can you cut mine into triangles?" Ceara asked. Triangles, he could do that.

"Me too!" He didn't look around the corner as he guessed that was everyone else.

"Baby Z has hers in little tiny squares" Freya yelled up to the kitchen. Right, little squares.

He loaded the sandwiches and drinks onto a tray and walked out to the garden. Where was Otto? He better not have left him!

"Freya! Get down off the table!" Dear God, could that little girl never sit still?

"I was just- "

"Freya now!" He watched as she crossed her arms over her chest to walk back to her side of the table and climbing down on to the bench. Arms still folded and pouting. Great.

"She was getting a bug out my eye" Zara supplied, as she pointed to her eye.

"You have a bug in your eye?" He asked her. He couldn't see one. How could a bug get in her eye? Ok, her eyes where her largest feature but she was so tiny they where hardly large. And why was he asking himself these types of questions?? Who knew what he would be contemplating next.

He had heard Freya grumble "Not anymore" from the other end of the table.

Ooh she had an attitude that one.

**Lunchtime **

Nick sat in the kitchen doorway.

Zara was pulling her sandwich squares apart before licking out the jam. She was getting strawberry jam everywhere.

Lily had peeled back the bread to look at what was inside before shrugging and taking a bite.

Freya was the only one who seemed to be eating the sandwiches as they where. Whilst, Ceara was waving one at him.

"Nick. I need more butter please. Lots more" He walked back over, taking the sandwich she waved in his face back into the kitchen. Peeling off the lid of the butter he wondered how much butter she wanted, he had already put more than a normal amount on it. Spreading more on and replacing the butter in the fridge he walked back out into the garden. Oh no!

**"What's going on?!"** Two minutes he had been gone!

He groaned. He should have known not to leave them.

Baby Z was standing on the table now, face of jam and soaking wet.

Lily was chasing a cat and trying to tempt it with her butter sandwiches.

Freya had draped her sandwich over her eyes whilst sticking out her tongue to make Ceara giggle hysterically.

"Look Nick!" Ceara managed to say, pointing at Freya as she giggled even louder.

Zara pointed down to her drink with tears in her eyes saying "Spilled it" Sniffing and then wailing "I want my daddy!"

"Here kitty. Wanna sandwich" Lily whispered as she crouched on the grass and taunted the cat by waving her sandwich at it.

Sinking to the kitchen door step he felt like crying himself. INSANITY!

Forget the fathers, the kids where going to be the death of him.

Head in his hands he tried to pretend he was somewhere else. Anywhere else. Away from these kids!

"What the hell have you let them do now, boy?"

Nick looked up to see Otto staring at the melee from beside him.

"What have **I **let them do? They managed that all by themselves! And where were you? I made the sandwiches, the drinks, served them, got them to sit _reasonably_ nicely. What have you done?!"

"You better check that tone with me, boy. I was sorting out the toy room" He told Nick before mumbling to his self, "I had never known two kids could make so much mess"

"What are we gonna do about these kids?" Nicks voice sounded defeated to his own ears. Who had known looking after kids was this hard. So much for Otto's _how hard can it be_? Personally he would never look at a baby the same way. Monsters where what they where. Monsters in cute dresses.

"Personally I vote we tie them to something and let them run around till they wear themselves out" Otto did have a tempting point. But Nick didn't want to imagine the scenario when their fathers turned up to find their baby girls tied to a stick in the ground.

"Tempting. But I kinda wanna live through the day"

"Discipline it is then" Otto stated from beside him. Nick kept an eye on the blade at Otto's hip.

"Lily come back to the table now! Freya get your sandwiches off your eyes! Look at the cheese in your hair" Nick could almost feel the hard iron of authority in Otto's voice. And was more than shocked when they actually seemed to listen to him.

Lily groaned before waving after the cat and running back to sit at the table.

Freya peaked out from under the bread with a sinfully mischievous smile before shrugging and taking the bread down and picking out the cheese from her curls.

Ceara had booed Otto, but was still giggling like a mad thing. Must be the caffeine.

Now he had to sort out Baby Z.

"You better call her dad" Otto said whilst making a gesture toward the now full out crying Baby Z. Who had slumped down to the table in a ball.

Nick knew Otto was probably right but the prospective of calling Zarek didn't sit well with him. He could think of thousands of things he would prefer, but Zara was not going to settle until she heard her daddy's voice.

Pulling the phone from his jean pocket he found Zarek's name and pressed dial. Here we go...

"What?!" Nice to speak to you too Zarek.

"Zarek, Baby Z is a little upset, if I put her on the phone will you calm her down a bit?"

Zarek instantly materialised before him, striding for Baby Z. He watched as Zara tilted her head up, before jumping to her feet, arms out stretched with a huge smile on her face, tears still trickling down her cheeks.

Ah, she was dead cute happy.

Zarek picked her up and kissed her dark curls before sitting down on the bench beside a hysterical Ceara. He eyed the little Celt before raising a brow at Nick. Yes, I know she's high!

Baby Z poked Zarek in the cheek before smiling and saying "That's my daddy"

The phone began to ring in his hand and he looked down at the caller ID: **Wulf**. Oh joy.

"Wulf, so happy you called"

"Shut up boy. How's my baby girl?"

"Fine, playing with her food" Nick could hear the sigh of relief from the other end of the phone.

"Put her on the phone, Nick"

"Please?"

"Nick! Now!" Wulf shouted loud enought that Nick had to remove the phone from his ear.

So that's where Freya gets her manners from. He walked down the garden to hand the phone to Freya, who was sucking on some grated cheese she had gotten out her hair.

Nick walked back up to the kitchen doorstep to sit beside Otto.

Freya was busy on the phone.

Lily was eating nicely, although she did kept glancing behind her looking for the cat.

Zarek was poking bits of bread, minus the licked off jam, into Zara's mouth who was chewing happily, and she even laughed at Ceara's constant giggling.

Nick began to actually think he may just survive the day, he only had another two hours left with them. They would probably play, watch some TV and then go home. It would be easy.

He sighed, wasn't that what he had said about lunch?

_

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Sorry its not as long as the other ones. Hope you liked it. :-) All reviews welcome. Thanks so much for reading. Have a great weekend. xemmalisax

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	4. Painting

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_Hi, Thanks again to Night of the Land, Slytherinbabe05, Southern Spell, Jrkgirlrox, and Deidaras lover for the reviews. I really appreciate the support. : -) As promised here is the next chapter... Hope you liked it x_

_xemmalisa x_

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**Chapter 4**

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Zarek had finally left and Wulf had been pacified by the phone call.

Zarek after helping to feed Zara and after given her a yellow blanket had spoken to her for a while. Nick wasn't sure what Zarek had said to the little girl as she had clung to him on the bench, but whatever it was had made the little one smile and run off to play. Zarek had shared a nod with Otto before immaterialising.

What was with the nod?

The only gestures Zarek had ever made to him was a finger across his throat, or one involving a choice finger or two. It worried him that Otto and Zarek seemed to become – dare he say it – friends. Could you imagine? The only thing they shared in common was their blood lust and cigarettes. He dreaded to think what a night out on the town for them two would consist of. He had the macabre vision of both men in a dark room, thick with smoke, Otto asking Zarek …"So.. what you wanna do?"

Zarek shrugging and suggesting "The usual?"

"Kill something it is" Otto replies pulling out a blade. He cringed. Oh yeah. Fun.

Wulf, after a ten minute conversation with Freya seemed to be relatively convinced she would survive the day, although Nick still wasn't sure if he would. His conversation with Wulf had ended with "Nick, Guess what Chris just brought off QVC?" By the menace in Wulf voice, Nick guessed it wasn't going to be something pleasant.

"Sparklies?"

"No, a new roasting spit. If Freya gets upset you're the first thing I'm gonna be roasting on it" Cringe. What a lovely visual image, thanks Wulf.

Ceara and Freya where playing tag. Freya seemed to be constantly tagged, but he guessed thats what happens when your playing with a four year old on a caffeine high. Zara and Lily where playing mothers and baby. Surprisingly Lily was the baby. She sat on the "Big girl" chair whilst baby Z ran back and forth along the bench, picking up left over food from the other plates to feed to Lily, who was pretending to cry.

Freya nearly ran into him, before running between his legs.

"Hey?!" He yelled after her.

"Gotta run, gotta run!" She shouted as she ran through the kitchen. Nick watched the strawberry blonde curls disappear around the kitchen door, just as Ceara ran in. Giggling hysterically she ran after Freya.

How long do Caffeine highs last? He wondered if she would ever sleep again, with the amount of caffeine she had ingested.

Freya skidded back into the kitchen nearly slipped on the tile, breathing heavily and pink in the face she ran back through the kitchen, but before she could reach the garden, Ceara had tagged her. "Tag! I got you again!" Ceara giggled.

"That's so not fair!" Freya was really knackered, Nick watched as she braced her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "You run too fast!"

"Yep, I'm super quick" Ceara stated and to prove her point ran the length of the kitchen and back as fast as she could.

Nick went out to collect the plates. Lily was crawling on the floor with baby Z. Nick laughed. What was Valerius going to say when he saw how dirty Lily was going to be. It was going to be priceless.

That gave him an idea. Pulling the phone from his jeans he flicked through the directory before calling the number he wanted.

"Hello?" Answered the female southern accent he knew so well.

"Hey Sunshine"

"Hey Nick. Hows Ceara?"

"Fine, playing tag, and winning. You busy?"

"Tag?" He heard Sunshine laugh down the phone "Its her favourite. She has practice with the 'neighbours' at the swamp. We have to run to get past with my easel as the gators seemed to have an issue with it. Busy? Nope, my client is running an hour late. Why?"

"Wondered if you wanted to come and do some art with the kids?"

"That sounds great! Sure. Be there in a sec. Just need to pack some stuff. I cant stay long though, that ok?"

"Fine. See you soon"

Nick wanted to laugh evilly, add some paint to those grass stains on that designer outfit and Valerius' face is gonna be priceless.

**Painting**

Nick and Otto had herded the girls back into the house, and managed to get them to sit at the table inside. They where all hot and pink faced from running about. Zara had some mud on her left cheek, and Lily had major grass stains on her pleated skirt.

"So sticky" Freya whimpered as she swiped her curls from her sweaty brow. Ceara seemed even more hyper now that she knew her mum was coming. She kept standing up on her chair to look out the window and kept asking, for the hundredth time, if she could wait at the door for her mummy.

Otto came in with a tray of cups of water. After handing them out, he slumped into "his" chair.

This had to be one of the stupidest suggestions the college brat had made today, other than the "Otto go make Ceara a coffee" decision.

Painting. Great plan for overactive, hyper and sweaty four year olds! He wasn't gonna help, he was gonna sit back and watch Nick realise this one for himself. His legs outstretched before him, his ankles crossed he closed his eyes and just waited for the fun to begin.

* * *

Ten minutes since Nick had phoned Sunshine, she opened the door, wearing her trademark unconventional outfit and huge friendly smile.

Sunshine was one of those people who always wore a smile and seemed to be happy to see you.

Nick decided to sit this one out as Otto seemed to be doing.

Sunshine kissed Ceara's head and laid out a plastic sheet over the table, before setting out a variety of paints. Looking from the bright multi coloured paints to the girls enthusiastic faces made Nick reconsider how much of a good idea this was going to be. Ah well, he wasn't going to be the one cleaning those clothes so it didn't really matter.

* * *

The girls where busy painting when Sunshine's phone began to ring. Nick couldn't hear the conversation from where he was sitting but got a feeling he wouldn't like what Sunshine was going to say when she looked at him apologetically whilst she spoke. Please tell me she's not leaving me with the girls and paint! This wasn't part of the plan.

Otto laughed evilly next to him, eyes still closed "It looks like your plan to piss off Valerius back fired" Nick turned with an irritated look on his face, as Otto crept one eye open and smiled at him.

Thanks for pointing out the obvious! Sunshine ran over to them all white see-through skirt and baby pink leotard. "Sorry Nick, that clients just turned up, gotta go. I will get Talon to pick up the paints when he collects Ceara. Bye" And with that she rushed out the door.

That was it! Oh no. Groaning he hauled himself over to the table. He was surprised when they all seemed to be behaving.

Nick sat down on one of the chairs and watched, just waiting for one of them to do something. They would. Any minute. The second their parents are definitely out of the immediate area. Any minute now ...

"Look Nick, do you like it?" Freya peeled off her paper half stuck to the table by paint, to show him her picture.

Nick nodded as he looked at it. It seemed to be her family. Oh no, that couldn't be right…Wulf didn't seem to have his hands around Nick's throat in it. Inaccurate.

"Its lovely, Fray" Freya beamed at him , before laying it down and grabbing more paper.

"Do you like mine?" Lily asked as she showed him her painting. It was better than Freya's as it seemed neater, again it was her family. Nick guessed that's what Sunshine told them to paint. He looked at the tall man in the picture, that must be Count Penicula….but not in that colour!

"Lil's, its very good. But I don't think orange is your dad's colour" Understatement. The man dressed like a lawyer or worse an accountant. Nick could see no cream loafers in this picture.

"Hmm.. your right, shall I paint over?" Lily waved her brush over the paper as she asked the question.

"No sweetie, its lovely"

"Zara, I dare you to eat some paint" Freya giggled from the other end of the table.

"NO! No eating paint" Nick yelled, that's all he needed, one kid on a caffeine high and one poisoned. He watched as Zara shook her head in agreement. Thank god for that. Maybe they would be good, he leaned back and closed his eyes. This day was never ending. He could hear the girls giggling and painting.

* * *

"Can't.. reach..." Nick heard Zara sound as if she was struggling so opened his eyes. She was standing on her chair reaching across the table for more paint, her little arms outstretched but not quite able to reach. He leaned over and moved it closer.

"Zara you have paint all over your hands?!" looking down at her painting he figured out why, she had been finger painting, but by the amount of paint on her hands she had been using her whole hand to do it. Zara looked down at her multicoloured hands before nodding and wiping them across her white dress. Nick cringed. Large smears of red, blue and orange marred the little white dress. Not that Zara seemed to mind, as she sat down again and started to paint. Pressing her fingertip into the paint pot before smearing it across the page.

Nick wondered if they had washing machines on Olympus? No fool, they probably use their powers to do it… or do they? Another random and useless question to contemplate along with how a bug managed to get in Zara's little eyes.

Nick watched as Ceara climbed down from her chair and crawled out from under the table.

"Nick, I need the toilet"

"Oh ok, it's the door next to the kitchen"

"Can you take me?" She asked as she pressed her knees together and started to bounce up and down.

"Ok"

OK? He really had no other choice, she looked like she was going to burst. He led her to the toilet and was quite surprised when she held his hand as they walked. Opening the door he hesitated. "You don't need me to come in with you, right?" God, please, please, let her say no.

"No, thanks" Phew. "Can you turn the light on? I cant reach." She asked.

"Its daylight?"

"I know but I wanna see. Its gets dark when you shut the door" Turning on the light, he shut the door.

He waited a minute before asking if she was ok, when she said she was, he returned to the girls at the table just in time to watch Freya lick her paint brush as Lily and Zara watched. Zara had her hand over her mouth and her eyes wide as she watch Freya lick at the red paint, whereas Lily was giggling.

"No Freya! Take that brush out of your mouth! I said no eating the paint!"

"I wasn't eating the paint, I was licking it" Freya supplied, as she put her brush down and made "mmmm" noises for the other girls who both giggled.

"Then no licking the paint. You have red paint on your lips now" He watched as she shrugged.

When Zara removed her hand from across her face, her hand print was left behind in blue paint. Great.

Just then Ceara ran back into the room. Minus clothes. All she had on was her pink knickers and her trainers.

"Ceara what happened to your clothes?"

"Too hot for clothes. Can I go play outside again now? Do you have a paddling pool?"

Nick felt a small tug on the back of his jeans and looked down to see a naked Baby Z. She too had taken her dress off and only wore her white knickers, white dolly shoes and blue hand print. Nick looked around the table and all the girls where in various stages of getting underdressed.

"No, everyone put your clothes back on. You cant walk around naked!"

"I don't want my clothes on if we are playing with water" Lily stated as she un zipped her skirt.

"Too hot for clothes" Freya said as she crawled out from under the table in just her knickers which had "trouble" printed across the front. Whereas Lily's had "princess" with a little gold crown underneath. How appropriate.

Another tug on his jeans and Nick looked back to Zara. "I need to go toilet too, please" she whispered up at him.

"Ok did you see where Ceara went ?"

"Yes"

Nick waited and still Zara made no move to leave, she looked past him to the toilet door and then bit at her bottom lip.

"You want me to take you?" He guessed.

"Yes but…" Oh no that 'but' didn't sound good.

"But…?"

"I cant reach by myself"

"The light? I can turn on the light for you, in fact its probably still on" He guessed as Ceara hadn't been able to turn it on in the first place.

"No… I cant reach the toilet by myself. I'm too little" Oh no!

"Oh… so do you need me to… help you?" He hoped not. He had never … well ...done it before, and didn't wanna start now. Maybe this was something Otto could do. Then again, perhaps not.

"No! Your a boy!" Zara scrunched up her face in distaste as she looked at him and shook her head. Good, he would get one of the girls to take her.

"Ill help you Baby Z" Lily said from somewhere under the table, as she climbed out.

"Boys don't take you to the toilet, silly! You can kiss boys though" Freya supplied helpfully to Baby Z.

"You have kissed a boy?!" Nick was shocked! Surely not with a father like Wulf!

"Well.." She looked down at her shoes and shrugged "I kissed my daddy"

Ah… cute. He should have guessed she hadn't kissed a boy, he hadn't heard of any four year olds being castrated.

"Me too, I kissed my daddy" Zara supplied sweetly from beside him as Lily took her hand and began to led her to the bathroom.

"So where's the water, Nicky?" Ceara asked ……

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Thanks so much for reading, i hoped you liked it. :- ) Next chapter will be 'Fun with Water' evil laugh poor Nick and Otto. _

_xemmalisax_

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	5. Fun with Water

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_Hi, Very sorry for the late update, the website wouldn't let me upload any chapters till this morning :-( Wanted to say Thank You to Slytherinbabe05, Night of the Land and Deidaras Lover for the wonderful reviews :-) Here is **Fun with Water...**_

_x emmalisa x_

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**Chapter Five**

There was no way in hell, Nick was going to be the one to supervise 'Fun with Water'.

Over to Otto.

He had had to deal with lunch and painting, he wasn't sure his sanity could handle naked four year olds and a sprinkler. Definitely Otto's turn to take over and "discipline" the kids.

Walking over to where Otto sat in "his" chair he waited until Otto had crept open one eye before smiling down at him.

"I don't like you smiling at me, boy. Whatever your thinking the answers no" Nick watched as Otto shut his eye and placed his palms behind his head.

"Someone needs to watch the girls with the water, and for once it isn't going to be me" Nick slumped into the chair he had been previously occupying before Sunshine had run out and left him.

Otto eyed him, just as Freya ran around the corner and through the kitchen followed by Ceara. Otto glared after the little Viking before turning around and muttering "huh… look at that. I have those same pants in blue" Nicks eyebrow rose at that comment, he knew Otto was joking but it still freaked him out to imagine Otto wearing blue pants with trouble written across. Just thinking of Otto in boxers full stop, freaked him out.

"Otto?" Ceara was stood before their chairs, Otto had come out sounding like uh oh. "Where's the water gone?" Nick grinned at the look on Otto's face. It was going to be fun watching him struggle.

"Ask Nick, kid"

"Nick said you had the water?"

"I don't"

"So where is it?" Palms out in question she stepped closer to Otto and looked about ready to cry. Damn her, he was beginning to like the little Celt, so why did she have to pull the hurt face. She was going to have him trained within the hour.

Groaning Otto climbed out of the chair and walked out to the garden with a naked Baby Celt following behind.

Looking around the garden, Otto spotted the hose… that'll do, all they want is water.

Turning on the hose he let the water draining out into the grass, when he looked up he had four pairs of unimpressed eyes glaring at him. Lily and Freya had their hands on their hips, Ceara was shaking her head, and Zara was bending down to touch the wet grass before shaking her head. "Its_ really_ cold" Baby Z stated as she stepped away from the water soaked grass on her tip toes.

"Cant you make it do something Otto?" Freya asked.

Like what? What do you want me to make it do?

Growling at the girls disappointed faces, he strode over to the sprinkler system hidden in the flowers and moved it to the centre of the garden, before going back to the house. He disconnected the hose and reconnected it to the end of the sprinkler system, attaching it to the kitchen tap, and turning the water to warm. He heard their giggles of excitement at the water flying out from the sprinkler and went out to sit at the bench and supervise.

He watched the girls run through the water, splashing it at each other and wondered what Nick was complaining about. He had the easy job with the water. What could they do with water?

The little one with dark hair was rubbing at her eyes… which one was that one again?

"You ok?" He asked her. She nodded and pointed to her eyes. Oh, she had water in her eye.

"You'll live, kid. Just wipe it out" She nodded again before running back into the fountain of water, a yellow blanket dragging behind her. He watched the red haired one run over to the table to grab a cup left over from lunch, and bring it back to fill with water.

"What are you gonna do with that? You better not be planning on throwing it at me" He eyed the red haired one suspiciously. Wait, wasn't she the Roman one? Yeah that's right, the little dark one was Psycho ass' baby.

"No, I was going to give it to the cat" She pointed over her shoulder to the fat tabby cat she had taunted with her butter sandwiches earlier. "Its hot"

It may be hot, but he highly doubted the cat would be happy with a cup of water over its head. The Viking was giggling behind her hand, Otto guessed the little trouble maker knew cats don't like water. He grinned at the little Viking, that one was truly the devil with cute curls, no wonder he was beginning to like her.

Lily ran over to the cat, water spilling from the cup as she ran. The cat must have seen the water flowing from the cup as it sprinted out the garden with a hiss, away from a disappointed Lily, and equally disappointed Freya. He grinned with an idea.

"Hey … Lily is it? Come here kid I have an idea" He watched as she trudged dishearten over to the bench.

"Why don't you throw the water over Nick?" He asked her, he saw her gasp and smile.

"Oh no… that wouldn't be very nice, I cant do that" Shame, because that's exactly why he wanted her to do it, because it wasn't very nice.

"Ill throw it at him" Freya piped from behind Lily, her little arm up in the air as she was volunteering. He grinned, he really was liking the little Viking.

"Good girl, I like your spirit, Lily pass the water to … the little Viking"

"Her names Freya Mae Tryyvason" Lily told him. He must remember that name, he'll save her a seat in hell beside him, as she was entertaining.

He watched as she ran off strawberry blonde curls flowing behind her as she raced into the kitchen. All the girls had stopped playing and waited….

A few minutes had passed and Otto thought perhaps Nick had seen her coming or she had backed out, but then an angry yell came, before a little scream and giggle, as Freya Mae Tryyvason came running out the kitchen, empty cup in hand. Nick came out red faced and soaking. Otto couldn't help laughing at the college brat. He was soaked. Who knew so much water could be held in such a little cup? Good girl. He thought as she rushed to hide behind Zara Rose. The kid was courageous to throw it and smart enough to run.

She was definitely on his Christmas card list from now on.

"You told her to do that didn't you?!" Nick yelled down the garden to him. Otto shrugged and laughed again as Nick flapped his t shirt to get the wet material away from his chest. It served him right for leaving him with the terrible four.

Otto watched as Nick stormed back into the house, looking very much like the moody teenager Otto had pegged him as.

That boy had to grow balls and a sense a humor.

Otto looked over to the sprinkler, it was beginning to look a bit like a mud bath, but the girls didn't seem to mind. Although the dark one… Zara had to keep pulling her blanket out the mud so she could run through the water. Ceara had mud splattered up to her knees, as she seemed to find the mud more entertaining than the water now. Jumping from one muddy puddle to another.

He counted them and noticed the red haired one was missing. Looking around the garden he saw her looking into bush. "What are you looking for?"

"The cat"

"The cat will come back when the water goes away"

He watched her sigh in annoyance before coming over to the bench "Please, Can we have music on Otto?"

Music? What kind of music did four year olds like? Definitely nothing he owned. He had spotted a radio in the kitchen so went to grab it, bringing it out he sat on the bench and twirled the dial searching for a station. Lily crawled onto the bench and to his surprise sat in his lap to twirl the dial herself, her face screwed up in concentration, her ear against the speaker as she looked for a station.

"Hey, your wet kid!"

"Your not wet?"

"I wasn't. Not everyone in this garden is soaked and half way to being pruned"

"Pruned?"

"Wrinkled because of the water. Look at your hands"

She did and laughed "Your funny… pruned" She shook her head and laughed again as she twirled the dial. Come on kid, the water is almost completely soaked through my trousers. "You got wrinkles though"

"What?"

"You have wrinkles on your face"

"No I don't!"

She left the twirling momentarily to stand on his lap to look at his face, nodding she poked certain areas of his face. "There… there….and you got _lots_ there"

"Hey! I don't have wrinkles"

"You do… but if you do this they go away" She pressed her palms either side of his face to pull the skin tighter "See all gone now" He growled at her… he didn't have wrinkles. Did he? He wasn't the vain type, and last time he looked in the mirror he had none. When was the last time he looked in a mirror? Worrying.

He watched as she finally found a station she liked. He groaned at the song as all the girls shouted "Yay!"

Gwen Stefani, The Sweet Escape was soon loud in the garden. And worse the girls where singing to the chorus "Whoo-hoo". Lily jumped off his lap leaving a circle of damp behind ,to dance around the garden. Great. Just great.

Freya ran over to him, before giggling and pointing to his lap "Did you need the toilet?"

He frowned at her, before growling. Great, it looks like he wet himself. Just what he wanted. Thanks Lily!

Freya climbed onto the bench beside him and swung her legs back and forth.

"Good job with Nick, Freya"

"Thanks… what's your name any how?"

"Otto"

"What kind of name is Otto? Seems a bit odd to me"

"Its my name, that's what kind of name it is. And its not odd"

"Okay" She drawled out OK as if she wasn't convinced.

"Otto?"

"Yes?"

"When's my daddy coming?"

"In just under half an hour, or maybe before if we are lucky"

"Oh"

Otto and Freya watched the other girls run in the water. Baby Z yawned and sat down with a small thud which caused mud to spray up on her.

"Zara, you want to sleep?"

She stood up and came over to him to shake her head no.

"So your not tired?"

"Am tired" She whispered as she yawned again.

"So why don't you sleep?"

"Don't wanna sleep without my daddy"

Zarek had his hands full with this little one, not alone the other kids he had.

He lifted her onto the bench and watched as she began to drop off to sleep, her head resting on the arm rest. Every so often she would wake herself up and watch Ceara making mud pies, and Lily dancing, before her eyes fluttered shut again.

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_Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it. :-) Sorry it wasnt very long. The next chapter will probably be the last one. :-( _

_Which is such a shame as i have really enjoyed writing it. Take care..._

_x emmalisa x_

* * *


	6. Goodbye, Kid

**Chapter Six - Pick Up **

Nick lay reclined in his chair, he was still soaking wet from Otto's and Freya's prank. His eyes closed, he listened to the girls giggling and singing in the garden.

Overall the day hadn't been too bad he supposed.

It felt ages ago since Ceara had ingested enough caffeine to make her sick, Freya had raided the fridge and Lily had chased a cat.

Then there was the licking of paint, the toilet issues, the nakedness and the water fights.

No, he was right the first time! The day had been hell. Absolute, complete hell!

The crying, the tantrums, and lets not forget the throwing of _innocent _men four foot into the air by a tiny three year old.

Nick shook his head and sighed, it was nearly all over! He relaxed further into the chair, and thought of his date tonight.

He felt that tingle you get when you know someone's watching him. Opening his eyes he gaped._ Who was she!!_ The woman dressed in a white summer dress, had gorgeous honey blonde hair, cascading in gentle waves around the face of heaven. Her large depthless blue eyes where kind and her smile friendly. He gaped! He couldn't do anything but. She was hot! H. O. T. Hot.

He was so engrossed in gaping at the woman who had appeared, he didn't at first register Zarek had entered the room, until he growled at him. Nick shook his head to clear it, he felt like one look at this... goddess had lost him 20 IQ points, minimum, and he didn't have many he could lose. He turned his head to Zarek and was more than surprised to say he did it thankfully, he was acting like an idiot, but there was no way he couldn't gape at her.

Zarek once again growled at him which gained his full attention, at least until the mystery angel laughed at Zareks growl.

Laughed at him!

Please don't make him angry, beautiful. I don't wanna have to step between you. Or more than liking, get pulverized between you.

He was shocked into silence when the angel crossed to Zarek to lay her hand upon his arms crossed over his chest. She was touching - yes - touching Zarek. Voluntarily! And not for violence. What was... oh no...wait a minute... surely not! He eyed the beauty and was terrified to see some similarities between her and the little doll, Zara Rose. Please tell me the sex goddess with the beautiful smile isn't psycho ass' wife!! Surely not!

"Hi, you must be Nick, I'm Astrid" Her voice was beautiful and rich with her Greek accent. He honestly couldn't have spoken a word if his life depended on it, and from the black, death stare Zarek was casting him for gaping openly at his wife, he probably _was_ life threatened. He cleared his throat before speaking finally "Hi Astrid. You here to pick up Zara?"

Obviously idiot! She definitely isn't here to be gaped at by you.

She cast him one of her breath taking smiles which caused him to gulp nervously as Zarek eyed him with clenched fists. Nick led them through the kitchen to the garden, before coming to a dead stop. What the hell! It looked like a battlefield! Mud everywhere, water spraying into the air, the radio station signal had been lost so all that was coming out was loud static. Where the hell was Otto?! There he is. Sitting down, I should have known!

Oh god, look at Zara! She had mud sprayed up to her belly, little blobs of brown mud dotted her face, as well as half a blue handprint. Her yellow blanket was black and half stuck to the bench with dried mud, and she was asleep draped over the arm rest!

What an advert for successful child care.

Otto saw them arrive and gave Zara a little nudge, she creaked open her eyes and blinked, very much like a kitten being dragged up from a couch. Her muddy little fists rubbed at her eyes, before she spotted her parents. Zara smiled and wiggled down from the bench before running up to her parents, on slightly shaky legs from being asleep. She ran straight into Zareks arms and clung to his neck until Nick wasn't sure how he was managing to breath. Equally to Nicks surprise Zarek squeezed the little one back just as tightly, before kissing the top of her curls. Ok, she was his daughter, but any signs of affection from Zarek was un nerving and well... just damn odd!

Zara held out her hand to her mummy who kissed up it, before kissing her neck which caused the little one to burst out giggling.

Lucky kid, what he wouldn't give for Astrid to kiss up his arm and- Nick was brought crashing back into reality by another trademark growl from Zarek.

Mental note to self: Don't have fantasies about a woman when your in the same room as her husband.

PS: In general stay away from women married to psychos.

Astrid laughed as she rubbed at the mud sprayed on Zara's belly "Looks like you've had a fun time, baby?"

Zara nodded which relieved Nick no end. He ran back into the house to grab Zara's clothes. When he came out of the toy room to the lobby he saw they where there waiting. He handed the clothes to Astrid. Who rolled her eyes at the state of the white dress. She held up the painting Baby Z had done and smiled. "You did this baby?" When Zara nodded "Your so clever. Look Zarek"

She held the painting up for Zarek to see over Zara's curls. Zarek smiled, which was one of the scariest things Nick had ever witnessed before whispering something in Zara's ear in Greek. The little one smiled against her daddy's neck before snuggling in closer. "Thanks so much for looking after her Nick" Astrid said with another breath taking smile.

Zarek snorted at that, obviously disagreeing with how well Nick had looked after his daughter, before immaterialized with his family.

Wow. All his questions about where Zara got her looks from where answered, but why the hell Astrid was with Zarek was a whole other mystery!

One down, Three to go.

That instance, Wulf appeared in the door with Urian.

Great! Not one, but two overprotective men to deal with.

Nick opened his mouth, but before he could mutter a sarcastic greeting, a cry rang out. He squeezed his eyes shut at the sound of Freya crying uncontrollable from the garden. Oh god he was dead.

Of all the times to hurt yourself kid!

Nick could see the change between the men, they had been hostile before they where deadly now.

Wulf pushed passed him, shoving him hard into the wall "Kill him Urian" he bellowed as he strode out the kitchen back door.

Kill me!?

What!

He didn't have time to ponder that request as he was held up by his neck against the wall, his feet off the ground. He choked on the crushing grip. Ouch! Excuse me! Not my fault the kid fell over.

Urian eyed him with malice radiating from his eyes.

Oh Yay! So much for his date. So much for his life, full stop.

Wulf came marching back into the room cradling Freya to his chest as if she was made of glass. If Nick could speak- screw that - if Nick could have breathed, he would have told Wulf the kid was more than capable of looking after herself, in fact, it was anyone else around her that needed warning!

Wulf placed Freya into the armchair he had been sitting in moments ago as he wiped the tears from Freya muddy face.

"Its ok baby, Daddy's here now" he whispered as he looked at her bloody knee, there was a small graze, that was covered with more mud than actual blood. Freya wiped the tears from her eyes and pushed her curls away from her sweaty brow.

So this was how he was going to die, pinned to a wall by a ... well... a something, because a four year old had grazed her knee?!

"Uncle _Urrie_, Let go of Nick. He was nice to me even when I threw water on him, licked paint, ate all the food and put some on my face"

Thanks kid! Yeah, after that speech he was surprised Uncle _Urrie_ wasn't squeezing his throat even tighter.

Wulf turned his menacing gaze to Nick "You let her eat paint!"

Urian released his hold on Nicks throat enough for Nick to croak out "Lick paint"

Urian laughed at Nicks nerve "You don't wanna live do you?"

Nick shrugged, death couldn't be worse than the day he had had.

Urian to Nick's surprise released him allowing him to crumble to the floor just as Otto walked in with a raised eye brow.

"You really are popular, kid" He commented as he strolled over to where Freya sat having her knee examined by a worried Wulf. "Hey Kid, how's the knee" Freya shrugged and smiled at Otto "Ok, doesn't really hurt that much anymore"

Wulf eyed Freya and then Otto.

"You have a great kid, Viking. She's the devil, but she's the cutest one I have ever seen" Nick waited for Wulf to clout Otto and was more than a little surprised when he grinned at him and nodded his head in agreement.

Wulf picked Freya up from the chair. "Where are your clothes, Fray?" Wulf asked, and then followed where she pointed to. Wulf disappeared into the toy room as Otto leaned against the wall, ankles crossed, arms crossed over his chest, grinning at Nick crumpled on the floor

"Does everyone love you this much, or is this a good day?"

"Haha haha very funny" Otto's grin widen at Nicks words.

Wulf strode back into the room with Freya's clothes and her painting. He was actually smiling as Freya pointed out the people in the painting and explained how she had done it with out using her fingers, only with the brush, like a big girl.

"Bye Kid" Otto said as Freya and Wulf walked towards the door. Freya waved over her daddy's shoulder. Wulf ignored Nick completely but shared a nod with Otto before he left the room, Urian following behind.

What was with the nod! He shook his head.

Thank you Nick for putting up with my mischievous, devil child. Oh your welcome Wulf, anytime!

He groaned as he lifted himself up from the floor to the amusement of Otto "Oh just shut up!" he growled at Otto as he leaned against the wall.

Otto laughed and left to go back to the garden to supervise. Only two more. Only two more!

He went into the toy room and collected all the paints together for Ceara to take home, and put them by the door waiting. He then sunk back into his chair and waited for the end of the day. Ah please, make this time go faster! He needed to get away from these kids!

Just as he muttered those words,did a flash of vibrant red hair come through the door.

Tabitha was wearing all black and held a little boy in her arms, who was picking the jewels out of one of Tabitha's bracelets.

"Hey Nick, where my baby girl?" Tabitha said a little breathlessly as if she had run over.

"Ouch!" Tabitha finally noted the bruise on Nicks neck, just as Valerius walked through the door, like before eyeing the floor. "What happened to you Nick? You alright? Is Lily ok?"

Tabitha's voice had grown more and more concerned. At least someone cared he had been beaten for a grazed knee. He nodded and yelled for Lily. He was more than a little annoyed when his voice came out scratchy and strained. Damn Uncle Urrie and his tight grip!

Nick couldn't help but laugh at the state of Lily as she came running through the kitchen, pink bag now brown with mud. He choked on his laughter as it hurt too much, which was a shame as the look on Valerius face was priceless. His little princess was cover in mud, paint and was dripping wet. "You look like you've had a fun time, baby girl" Tabitha laughed at the sight.  
"Good time! It looks like she has been through a War zone!" Valerius stared in absolute horror at his daughter.

"I had a great time! We sang, and danced, played the bunny rabbit game, we even painted!" Lily said before racing into the toy room and coming out with her clothes and painting. She dumped her clothes onto the floor and held up her picture for her parents to see. "Look, do you like it?... there's you mummy... and there's daddy"

Valerius was still spluttering over the state of Lily clothes in a heap on the floor "What happened to your clothes?!"

"Took them off to play with the sprinkler"

"Play with a sprinkler?" Valerius groaned.  
Lily looked down at her mud covered toes, rubbing one little foot against the other. Her once wet skin was getting cold out of the sun and she started to shiver as she whispered sheepishly "Don't you like my painting daddy?" She lifted her head up and had tears glittering in her eyes.

Tabitha gasped and moved towards Lily but before she could reach her, Valerius had scooped her up and nestled her into his jacket, wrapping the edges around her little wet frame.

"I love the painting, baby. Its beautiful" Valerius kissed Lily's cheek and she smiled at him as a tear rolled down her cheek. Nick was surprised when Valerius hugged the little one closer. Wasn't Count Penicula worried about his designer outfit his daughter was getting wet and muddy? Tabitha smiled at the two and picked up the dirty clothes and painting, and carried them in her other arm. The little boy -who Nick didn't know by name, but he knew was there son- started to play with the clothes obviously bored of picking gems out of bracelets.

"Thanks for everything Nick" Tabitha said, Lily yelled "Thank you" from outside as Valerius had already walked out with his daughter.

Tabitha before leaving peaked to see the state of the Toy room. "How did you survive?" She laughed at the state of the room "Call me, I wanna hear all the gory details, bye"

"Bye, Tabby" Nick collapsed into the chair just as Talon and Sunshine walked through the door, he groaned at the sight.

"Nice to see you again too, Nick" Talon quirked sarcastically from the door. Nick rolled his eyes at the comment.

Finally the last one was going!

Nick yelled for Ceara and was surprised when she came in on Otto's shoulders. The little Celt was singing, and giggling as she clung to Otto's hair. She waved at her parents as Otto brought her down. Nick just stared at them. Huh, who knew Otto liked the Little Celt so much?

Ceara waved at her parents before waving for Otto to bend down, once he did, she kissed his cheek and said bye, before running over to her parents. Nick wasn't sure who was more surprised, Otto, Talon or him.

Otto blushed and muttered a "bye kid" before walking back out into the garden.

Whilst Ceara was getting her clothes, Nick just stared after Otto in amazement!

"Had a good day sweetie? Sunshine asked Ceara as she helped dress her into her clothes.

"Yep, we did everything! Can I come again?"

"NO!" Nick yelled a little louder than he planned, which caused a shocked look from Ceara and a laugh from Talon. "Hey, at least I don't feed coffee to four year olds, you could have warned us she cant drink the stuff!"

Talon looked pale as Sunshine turned to face him with hands on her hips "Coffee?"

"She didn't have any coffee" Talon denied "Tell mummy you didn't have a coffee, baby"

"No coffee with daddy, had a special hot chocolate from Starbucks though, had marshmallows in it. Yummy. Had coffee with Nick" Ceara supplied up to her mum.

"Starbucks?!" Sunshine growled at Talon before turning to Nick to growl "Coffee?!"

"Wait, that was hot chocolate in that cup?" Nick muttered half to himself, half to Ceara.

Oh no! Zarek was right, Talon hadn't given her any coffee.

Damn it! No wonder she had been sick!

Sunshine picked up the paints and Ceara and walked towards the door, before yelling over her shoulder to Nick and Talon "Both of you have a lot of explaining to do!"

Talon growled low at Nick "Thanks a lot boy! Telling Sunshine I went to Starbucks! We where doing some crap Detox thing of hers this week! And giving my baby coffee!!" Talon slammed out the door to run after his wife and daughter.

Nick collapsed finally into the chair, as Otto walked in and sat beside him. They sat in silence for a good ten minutes.

Nick felt such relief it was unbelievable. It was over!

"Please tell me that was a one time thing!" Nick looked pleading towards Otto, desperate to hear the confirmation.

Otto laughed at the state of the college brat! He looked like he had aged a decade and had a bruise around his throat.

"I don't know what you complaining about, boy! Wasn't that hard. They're only little..."

* * *

**_...The End..._**

_Thank you for reading. :-) I hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as i enjoyed writing it. Big Thank you to everyone who gave me reviews and support. :-) xx_

_Take care_

_x emmalisa x_

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